Protect Lake Memphremagog! End this environmental injustice.
It is an environmental injustice to truck almost all of Vermont’s waste to the Northeast Kingdom, which generates only 7% of the waste disposed of in the Coventry Landfill. 20% of the waste disposed comes from out of state – mainly Massachusetts. Meanwhile, the groundwater in the Memphremagog watershed is being contaminated. The State of Vermont needs a Solid Waste Plan that does not dump all its trash (and imported waste) in the Northeast Kingdom!
The Landfill in Coventry is working towards treating leachate in the Memphremagog Watershed!
There is a current application for a renewal to a leachate discharge permit allowing the landfill to dispose of the leachate at the Montpelier wastewater treatment facility. This permit includes a condition that will be the first step toward building a leachate treatment facility onsite in the Memphremagog watershed. The permit does not specify standards for contaminants discharged, and does not specify technology to remove contaminants. The contaminated residuals (filters, etc.) from the partial treatment of the leachate will most likely end up in the landfill generating more contamination. DUMP is working hard to protect Lake Memphremagog, and this treatment facility would only introduce more risks to the watershed and the International Waters of Canada and Vermont. For these reasons, DUMP is appealing this permit.
Note: A public comment meeting for the Leachate Management Building and Contingency Pad area was held Monday November 14th at the Coventry Community Center. Here is the video of the meeting.
A bit of information about the landfill. Click the arrows to see additional graphics.
A literal mountain of trash overlooks a beautiful lake.
Protect
Through our research, monitoring of water quality reports and published testing, testimony to legislators, and our own petitions for improved regulatory and testing policies, we focus on keeping our water clean and healthy for all Vermonters and Canadians into the future..
Educate
By holding scheduled meetings for stakeholders and the public, participating in press conferences, writing public comments and media articles, we are working hard to inform and engage the public.
Collaborate
Collaboration is a key to accomplishing our goal. Working together with other environmental groups in the US and Canada raises our combined knowledge, and provides a strong platform to make the biggest impact.
Learn more about DUMP
Please join our team of vermont and Canadian citizens in the fight to restore and protect Lake Memphremagog!
Join Us on Facebook – with over 200 members in our Facebook group, we have many opportunities to collaborate, locally and internationally!
(Header photo by Jeff Gerade, 2018)
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